Sometime last week I went to my local comics store, Pegasus Hobbies, to buy some new comics. I had about $20-$25 of cool new stuff come in and I was excited to buy it. Now, I’ve been going to this store off and on for years, at least half my life. I didn’t go for a few years while I was in college and living elsewhere. Even when I was in Watertown there were periods where I just wasn’t as interested in comics and would spend money on other things. (Food mostly.) There was some comment made over whether or not I would still be around in a couple months to pick up some things I had ordered (if I have my way I’ll be buying stuff through my own store soon enough). I thought we were joking around, until the owner of the place moves a couple boxes behind the register and there are my comics from years ago. No exaggeration, years ago. I know because the books in the box came out in 2002. Lets examine a couple things here:
In 2002 I was working at TJ Maxx. I know where my money was going then, to Applebee’s, drinking at Kurt’s or on my porch, and trying to hook up with whoever I was interested in that week. I have some comics from that year, so I must have still been spending money there, and maybe these are titles I was waiting to pick up and then never did. These books are still sitting there. Six years later. Who’s fault is this?
Is it my fault, for requesting these comics and then never picking them up. Coming in and out of the store for years but, until the past 2-3 months, never buying anything on any regular schedule.
Or is it his fault for running a shitty store? The books could have been given to another customer, tossed in a dollar bin, put up on eBay, etc. But no, there they sit in my box 6 years later. Now bent because they were securely in the box.
I feel bad about it all and ask if we can make a deal for the lot. “Well, I don’t know, maybe.” If he thinks I’m spending $2-$4 each on old, bent comics (none of which are valuable issues) then he’s nuts. Maybe I’ll do a dollar each to call it even. Or not buy them at all. Many are collected in graphic novels. Yes, even us comics fans have our own debate akin to the “do I watch the episodes when they’re on or wait for the DVD box set?” There are pros and cons to both approaches.
Oh sure, I have tons of comics already but what’s a few dozen more? Especially when I’m viewing it as building up inventory now. Maybe a store, maybe online, but I know I can do it better than half the people who already have their own places.
By the way, if you have comics, toys, various other geeky things that you want out of your house, throw them my way.
Or maybe I should hold onto my comic book money and buy out Borders graphic novels when we eventually close. Stock closed at $1.37 today, I think the writing’s on the wall at this point.

With a record of 9-3 after UFC 90, I am looking (as always) for a clean sweep here at UFC 91. I would be lying if I didn’t say that this may be one of my most anticipated cards in history as I believe that the main event is going to be a fight to remember. Anyways, instead of me wasting your time about what you already know, let’s get to work.

WELTERWEIGHT BOUT
Dustin Hazelett vs. Tamdan McCrory

Don’t really know too much about Tamdan McCroy, but I am a huge fan of “McLovin” Hazelett. With Dustin coming off of a big victory against Josh Burkman, Hazelett has a lot to look forward to in this fight. While he isn’t in the elite of the welterweight division, three of his four losses are to well known people (Josh Koscheck, Tony DeSouza, Junior Assuncao). I fully expect Hazelett to come out and push the action before taking down McCrory and finishing him off with a submission.

I am a huge fan of Nate Quarry and since coming back from his injury, he has gone 2-0, finishing off Pete Sell in a 3rd round KO, and beating Kalib Starnes by decision in the ‘Run fight’. However, it has been seven long months since Quarry has fought which could be against him. Demian Maia is no push over though, with a current record of 8-0, and coming off wins against Ryan Jensen, Ed Herman, and Jason MacDonald. While he has won submission of the night on all three of those occasions, I think that the experience of Nate Quarry could play a huge factor in this match.

Winner: Nate Quarry via. 2nd Round Submission

LIGHTWEIGHT BOUT
Joe Stevenson vs. Kenny Florian

Here is the sleeper fight of the night. While Stevenson did have that brutal fight against BJ Penn back in January, he has one win since then against Gleison Tibau which he ended in the second round. For Florian, since losing to Sean Sherk back in 2006, he has racked up five straight wins, including wins over Joe Lauzon and Roger Huerta to give him his first loss. I can easily see this fight being a bloody war with neither man going down due to their determination to win, but in the end, I just believe that Florian is going to bee too much for the season two Ultimate Fighter alumnist.

Winner: Kenny Florian via. Unanimous Decision

HEAVYWEIGHT BOUT
Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Josh Hendricks

In a bout that could be crucial to Gonzaga, he takes on Josh Hendricks. Being the number ten heavyweight fighter in the world according to mmaweekly. com, I really believe that it is a no brainer here anyways. Sure he has losses to Couture and Fabricio Werdum, but that doesn’t matter when he steps into the octagon with Josh Hendricks. I am feeling a Gabriel Gonzaga bandwagon starting, because I can see a big win here for the man they call “Napao”.

Winner: Gabriel Gonzaga via. 1st Round TKO

UFC HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP
Randy Couture (c) vs. Brock Lesnar

It is quite possibly the biggest fight in UFC history and will go down as easily one of the most anticipated. Having looked over this fight time and time again, it is really hard for me to pick a winner. Lesnar has his speed, size, and wrestling background, but Couture has the wrestling as well along with being able to come up with great game plans. Sitting here at my computer, I am still trying to decide who will win this one. Both men I could easily see winning this one and facing either Mir or Big Nog after their fight, but this fight is so close to call and has such contrasting styles, it proves to be difficult to call. As much as like both men and want to see Lesnar succeed, I don’t think it will be here as Couture will pick apart Lesnar with his dirty boxing and show the world why you never pick against “The Natural”.

Smackdown wrestler Super Crazy (real name Francisco Pantoja Islas) reportedly quit the company at a show this past week.

It came out of nowhere, and he was said to be unhappy with his status in the company. He’s been been promised pushes a number of times, but they’ve never materialized.

Senior Vice President of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis didn’t take the news too well. Laurinaitis told Islas, “Do you know how many wrestlers in Mexico want to be here?”

Islas was telling friends that despite his low-level position with the company, he was happy with the pay, but unhappy with his job.

Should WWE release Islas, he is eligible to collect three months of pay without working due to the non-compete clause, but he’s willing to waive it because he simply wants to wrestle to the best of his ability. If he waives the non-compete clause, he is still not able to go to TNA for 90 days, but that’s probably not his goal anyway.

In an update to this story, WWE released a statement on the company website this afternoon acknowledging his departure from the company.

(This is not the first Weekend, not by far, but it is the first one to be written about. Dates will be provided when and where I can remember them.)

October 24 – October 26, 2008.

On Friday night, the 24th of October, members of Team Hellions made their way to Syracuse, NY. This was to be a weekend of wrestling, MMA, comics, and general geekiness. But first, a drive! Myself – Kevin Hellions, along with Sweet Matty Treats, the Educator of Excellence, and scourge of the Internet Wrestling Community – Krone Meltzer, drove the unheard of distance of 70 miles to see some hot 2CW action. However, knowing that we would yell and scream for 3 hours of independent wrestling, we knew that food would be required. What better place to stop than Plainville Turkey Farm?http://www.plainvillefarms.com/restaurant/

Located in Cicero, NY this buffet style restaurant provides a Thanksgiving style buffet every day of the year. Turkey, stuffing, potatoes, cranberry sauce, soups, salads, and more. It was glorious for myself and Treats, we who are known for eating dinner during the Jump the Smarks podcast. I was enjoying plate after plate of buffet while Treats was trying to get into the waitress’s panties. (I can only assume he was laying the seeds for a backup should Portia Perez say no to his advances). Halfway into a large slab of white meat turkey I notice that I am the only one enjoying their food. Krone is currently cutting weight for his wrestling team. Perhaps a buffet wasn’t the best idea, but what harm could one meal do? I look over at the Educator, who has frozen, fork halfway to his mouth, staring at his plate of salad. What harm could come from salad? There it was, a large flying insect, not native to this country, lodged within the folds of his lettuce. I wish I could show you a picture of this beast, but none of us took a picture with our phones nor am I willing to wade through the millions of insect species (or so Wikipedia tells me) to figure out what it was. The Educator politely and calmly points out this invader to the waitress, who Treats is still trying to invade. Minutes later and a free meal for the Educator means more money for the weekend.

We leave Plainville a little earlier than planned (I for one could have eaten two or three more plates, plus desert), and it was off to the Carousel Mall in Syracuse, NY. These three stories of retail glory is in the building process of becoming the largest mall in North America. And it has one fantastic comics shop. Play the Game, Read the Story always has the comics I’m looking for, and have special ordered products for me many times. They have gaming nights and frequent special deals.http://www.playthegamereadthestory.com/

Then it was off to some amazing as always 2CW action. My friend and fellow Hellion, Krone Meltzer, has posted his thoughts on this already and there is no reason for me to repeat it. I will say that I have now been to four 2CW shows this year and never once been disappointed. I walked out on a WWE show this year, I’ve been let down by UFC pay per views, but 2CW has always been worth every penny and then some.

Saturday brought my Christmas, the local library book sale. Thousands upon thousands of books all for a dollar or less. Most I’ll never read, but one day sell at the future Hellions store (coming soon! Well, in the grand scheme of things in the universe it’s soon. Might still be a few years out.) However, that didn’t stop myself and the Educator of Excellence from spending a little money on a lot of books.

That evening brought an end to the Geek-end Weekend. UFC 90 – Silva vs. Cote was on, and we were left… accepting? I accepted the results but was far from blown away as I usually am for UFC shows. It didn’t matter that much though, I had a belly full of chicken wings, cheeseburger dippers, and beer thanks to my local Buffalo Wild Wings. Also, your host and lead Hellion, Kevin Hellions, was interviewed by the local TV station for an upcoming sweeps-month story on the phenomenon that is MMA.

Total cost for the weekend? Probably close to $150, but worth every cent. Comics, wrestling, and MMA are my obsessions. The joke around here at Hellions is that, “if it involves men in tights, we’re there!” A smart ass, tongue in cheek comment to be sure, but the underlying truth is there. Where there are comics, wrestling, or MMA of any kind in New York, Team Hellions will be there.

Join us for the next Geek-end Weekend, coming soon. (Lesnar vs. Couture?)

Ranger Steve and Pete D. Order def. Wyld Stallions
-At the beginning of the match, Order came out and told us that Johnny Law wasn’t here but ended up finding another partner. That’s when he brought out Ranger Steve (should be a future Killer Steve). Together the team of Steve and Order won after they hit a double sandwhich type move onto a Stallion and then hit a double big splash for the victory.

Jason Axe def. Max Bauer
-Great match here actually as Axe really worked on the leg of Bauer before locking him in a sort of Haas of Pain type submission. Axe ended up telling us he wanted the belt and found it unfair that Olsen was getting another title shot.

John Walters def. Isys Ephex
-Portia Perez came out and said something about not wrestling, wasn’t really paying attention to the promo than her. Walters came out and since Dizzie didn’t come to the show (not sure why), Walters said he wanted to face Ephex. The two had big respect for each other, but it was Perez who hit Ephex with the back of the chair in the top of the head, cutting him open the hard way that gave Walters the win. He didn’t seem to happy about it afterwards about winning that way.

Jimmy Olsen, Cheech, Cloudy, and Marcos of NWA Upstate came out next and talked about how tonight they were going to defeat Slyk and all. Olsen threw the belt down and said he was going to piss on the belt, but Slyk came out only to get quad teamed before Olsen tried to beat him down. Slyk fought out of the quad team and went after Olsen, but he wiggled away just in the nick of time.

Alumni Club def. Killer Steves
-Not really the most interesting of matches as I wasn’t big into this one, but they hit an interesting finishing meanuver to defeat the Steves for the victory.

INTERMISSION

ZS3 No Contest J. Freddie
-A great, great match here that saw J. Freddie take an insanely nasty bump by jumping through the ropes only for ZS3 to move and have J. Freddie fly over the barrier and onto the ground. After being down for about a minute, a bloodied Freddie got to his feet and fought back into the ring until Cheech, Cloudy, Marcos, and a returning “Big Rig” Brodie Lee came out and ended the match prematurely. Lee told us tonight, his boot put the final nail in the coffin of 2CW.

2CW HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIPSlyk Wagner Brown (c) def. Jimmy Olsen
-This was a great match and dare I say had the fans more behind it than the main event. After brawling all over the crowd and all, Slyk ended up winning with his powerbomb on Olsen to retain the belt and it’s possession. Jason Axe interfered here to help Slyk retain, but afterwards the belt at his feet.

2CW vs. NWA UPSTATE – ELIMINATION MATCH: LOSING COMPANY CAN’T RUN A SHOW FOR 90 DAYS FOLLOWING 1/1/09Brodie Lee, Cheech, Cloudy, Marcos def. Hellcat, J.D. Love, Loca Vida, Brian Fury
-A hell of a match that saw Love, Loca, and Fury all go down before it looked like Hellcat was going to rejoin Upstate. After doing the clique thing in the ring, he pinned Cloudy, then Cheech, Marcos and it came down to him and Lee. It took three boots by Brodie to keep him down, but it did.

Afterwards, Patterson got on the mic and asked them if they knew who the fuck he was. He then said they cost him a lot of money and it was time for him to bring HIS boys into the ring. SWB, J. Freddie, ZS3, and I think Axe all came down and cleared house before the show ended.